legendary.

Robert Mondavi Winery
📍7801 St Helena Hwy, Oakville, CA 94562
📒 Our Napa Valley Guide

Robert Mondavi is legendary in Napa Valley. A brilliant marketer and visionary, he helped put Napa Valley on the international wine map. His family purchased Charles Krug Winery in 1943, and Robert went on to establish his own winery in 1966. But he wasn’t just promoting his own wines. He championed Napa Valley as a world-class wine region, helping build the reputation the entire area enjoys today. One of his genius moves was to brand California Sauvignon Blanc as Fumé Blanc to distinguish it. Obviously, his efforts worked… Napa today has serious street cred in the wine world.

Why go: The newly renovated Robert Mondavi winery is absolutely stunning with plenty of spaces to enjoy the wine. You’re stepping into Napa history when you walk into this winery, which makes it feel nostalgic and important.

What we’d book again: We booked the wine lunch experience, and it was an incredible way to learn and taste the wines – all with chef-prepared pairings.

I’m not sure if this is available for all of their seasonal lunches, but the focaccia bread with olive oil was the BEST bread course I’ve ever tried – the salty, seasoned bread had a crunchy crust and pillowy inside that was heavenly. I took one bite and looked at my husband and declared, “this is the best bread on the planet.” When I met him as a teenager, all boyfriends were compared to him for the next decade – and he was the One. I feel like for the next decade, all breads will be compared to this focaccia.

Then we had a citrusy salad, a delightful pasta, and an ice cream dessert bite that rounded out the lunch. Truly a special and memorable experience.

Wines to open at home: Mondavi Oakville Cabernet is great for steak night, To Kalon Sauvignon Blanc for fall oyster roasts.

Robert Mondavi Winery Photos